TheCable

Wole Soyinka, the Nobel laureate, says Peter Obi is “unfit” to lead Nigeria.

Obi was the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election and polled third behind Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In an interview with Noble Eyisi, a digital creator, Soyinka said he hopes that the former Anambra governor does not vie for the presidency in the 2027 election. 

Soyinka alleged that Obi has encouraged the online vitriol often lobbed by his supporters — who are called ‘Obidients’.

“I hope for the sake of the nation that he doesn’t express interest in the next election because for me as a leader, if there was any proof that he was unfit to lead that country, it’s in the conduct which he encouraged among his followers,” Soyinka said. 

“I know for a fact that he was in control of those forces.”

The novelist added that dishonest political leaders are encouraging the “divisive actions of the group”.

He said “one of these days, they would turn on them and teach them a lesson”.

“It has to do with education. I didn’t read all these insults from Obidients but of course, some links were sent to me, especially when facts were being manufactured,” Soyinka said. 

“I know that there is a relay mechanism, which is triggered into action by those who control what we call the trolls of the internet, and so my disgust and contempt.

“I just went about my business, you know, because nobody, anybody on this earth who thinks they can stop me telling the truth as I see it needs to have his or her head examined. It’s as elementary as that.

“But it is depressing to see those who wanted to be political leaders encouraging that kind of action, that kind of attitude in the youth.

“And my mind went to the expression: ‘They don’t know what they’re doing’. Those who sow the wind will reap the whirlwind.

“One of these days, they would be astonished, they would turn on them and teach them a lesson.

“And so, my attitude was very blasé but it is for me a sad phenomenon, especially for those who want to lead a multi-textured (society) — different religions, different ethnic groups, different worldviews — who actually want to preside over such a group as one.

“It means that they have already declared themselves incompetent to lead such an entity.”